“I obviously wanted to do the cleanest skin care that we could do in luxury, the purest of the pure.”

Stella McCartney is the latest celebrity to venture into the beauty industry, having launched her clean and sustainable skincare brand, STELLA.

The tightly curated lineup is created in collaboration with LVMH and has only three products: a cleanser, a serum, and a cream – for a minimalist, sustainable and clean routine. “I want less, and I want it to work,” McCartney said.

She added: “I want it to be honest and to complement my way of thinking, and of living life. I obviously wanted to do the cleanest skin care that we could do in luxury, the purest of the pure.”

Unlike many other skin care brands, McCartney’s products have been years in the making. Each process has been meticulously planned to tick as many eco-boxes as possible, from ingredient sourcing, to the packaging as well as the shipment.

Moreover, the skincare is totally cruelty free and vegan, of course.

“At every stage I have challenged myself to make the most responsible decisions, that ranges from the mode of transportation (maximising sea-freight over air-freight), to banning single use products through the innovative refill system we implemented,” Stella told GLAMOUR.

“I’ve also transferred key principles from my fashion house to my skincare line. It was important to me that the brand and the products needed to have my vegan and cruelty free principles at its heart.  I’m proud to say that we have been accredited by the Cruelty-Free International Leaping Bunny Programme and the Vegan Society.”

Clean and sustainable Ingredients

Raising the bar on sustainability in beauty, the brand omitted almost 2000 ingredients when formulating the products, because they found the production or extraction process to be polluting. The products will also be shipped rather than flown to the US.  This means the carbon footprint of the range has been slashed by more than a third.

Furthermore, every STELLA product is made with at least 99% natural ingredients, each of which was reviewed by Quantis, an environmental sustainability consultancy, to evaluate its sustainability credentials.

While the brand has strived to weigh its options at each step of the process to minimize its impact on the planet, it has also paid careful attention on the results.

The brand’s star ingredient is organic rock samphire, which contains high amounts of unsaturated and saturated fatty acids, and phytosterols to smooth fine lines and wrinkles. The Lingonberry Extract, is said to help restore an even complexion and support elasticity. Wild Organic Birch Sap has been added for its hydrating and firming properties.

Meanwhile Squalene which is great for skin barrier support, suppleness, and hydration is also listed in the formulation and Wild Harvested Dulse Algae Extract, which is said to reduce the appearance of dark circles and improve skin texture is also present.

McCartney explained: “It was quite the explorative journey to create these products – it was three years in the making…

“I also didn’t want to compromise on results. Our clinical results are really impressive, and I wouldn’t use anything else on my skin now!”

Packaging

To reinforce the brand’s commitment to sustainability, the range comes in reusable recycled glass jars with the product packed in disposable pouches made from wood waste. The pumps are made of recycled plastic.

1% of all STELLA sales  will  be diverted to the Wetlands International conservation NGO, in order to support ongoing regeneration projects and restoration efforts.

The new line cost between $45 to $140  and will be available to buy on stellamccartneybeauty.com.

• Read: Deliciously Ella founder reveals how a vegan diet ‘cured’ her chronic health issues

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Mohsina Dodhiya

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